Eat, Drink and be HEALTHY This Holiday Season

Eat, Drink and be HEALTHY This Holiday Season

The Holiday season is here and with it comes the three-month food frenzy and endless excuses to let go of our healthy eating habits. With all the delicious f

oods available and social time to enjoy them, it is a challenge for all of us to keep the bathroom scale from rising to scary heights. Statistics show that the average American gains the majority of their yearly weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Years day which can wreak havoc on your health. But of course you are not going to fall into the statistic because after reading this article you will be fully equipped with all the tools on how to eat, drink and be merry while maintaining your waistline and wellness.

Many of us find ourselves in the dilemma of “tradition” during the holidays. We feel as if we don’t have a choice but to go along with what is done “every year”… the traditional eggnog toast at the company Christmas party, Grandma’s pumpkin pie, or the endless Champaign fountain you spend many visits to before the 3, 2, 1… When traditions are instilled in us, they are very difficult habits to break. But break you must unless you want to enter 2010 carrying a little extra baggage. So how do we stay healthy with such unavoidable te

mptations?

Traditions don’t need to be lost in order to live a healthier lifestyle, just altered a bit. Raise your glass high, say cheers and then swap it for a cranberry spritzer. Take one bite of Grandma’s pie, smile, and kiss her on the cheek. As for the Champaign fountain, save your glass for midnight and spend more time socializing sipping on a non-alcoholic beverage. These little changes will help you shave off thousands of calories, keeping them on the plate or in the glass and not on your midsection.

It is almost inevitable that deserts and leftovers will start piling up in your fridge even if you didn’t do so much as lift a spatula. Friends like to shower us with their homemade cookies and Mom is sure to send you home with a tin foil mountain of mashed potatoes doused in her famous gravy. The temptation to eat more than you should surrounds you, so how do you avoid it?

The answer is simple, ‘tis the season of giving, so don’t hog all the good stuff for yourself. Take the goodies to the office to share with co-workers or jump on the bandwagon of the re-gift fruitcake. Whatever you do, don’t let the extra calories linger in your living space haunting your taste buds every time you walk in the kitchen. Out of sight out of mind.

Healthy Holiday Tips

Dine before you dash - Eating something healthy before going to a holiday party will help you resist the temptations.

No buffet binging - Your eyes tend to be bigger than your stomach, choose a variety of foods in small portions.

Prepare to eat, not cheat - Bring a “healthy” holiday dish to your parties like whole-wheat ginger snaps that won’t be as bad to munch on.

Keep moving - Be physically active everyday (exercise alleviates stress, regulates appetite and burns off extra calories).

Slow and steady -Eat slowly and only until you are not hungry anymore… don’t keep eating until you feel like a pumpkin and then decided it’s time to stop.

Write it down - Writing down what you eat will provide a reality check on how many calories you are actually consuming and will help you resist in the future.

Let it go - If you over eat one day, don’t let it ruin your enthusiasm. Life is about balance, forget about it and move on.

Don’t sip your calories - Alcohol mixed with sugary juices, creamy eggnog, and open wine bars are not your friend this season. Enjoy your calories through the foods that are present rather than gulping them down.

Warning signs - If a food is fried, creamy, cheese filled, processed meat, pastry or a baked good try to avoid them at all cost. These foods tend to be the highest in harmful fats and calories.

This for That - There are hundreds of great low-fat and
healthy recipes out there for our favorite holiday dishes. Start by substituting unsweetened applesauce for oil, using whole grain instead of all-purpose flour, trying Stevia instead of table sugar and reducing the amount of salt the recipe asks for. Every little adjustment helps.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!

Lauren McBride